And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I, the Lord, have deceived the prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. * * * We have here the facts as they have transpired and as they will continue to transpire in relation to this subject. The death of the prophet is one fact that has been realized, although he abhorred and repented of this iniquity before his death. Page 9.
And on page 27:
He (Joseph Smith) caused the Revelation to be burned, and when he voluntarily came to Nauvoo and resigned himself into the arms of his enemies, he said that he was going to Carthage to die. At that time he also said that if it had not been for that accursed spiritual wife doctrine, he would not have come to that. By his conduct at that time he proved the sincerity of his repentance, and of his profession as a prophet. If Abraham[4] and Jacob, by repentance, can obtain salvation and exaltation, so can Joseph Smith.
Mark you, we have the evidence of the revelation from your own side and you well remember that but one could and did receive revelations. I do not accept the apology of your editor; I do not believe that the Prophet had the revelation burned, or called the doctrine accursed. My faith in Joseph Smith is such that if he had the revelation—which your witnesses declare he did—that it was from God as much as any other revelation he received!
TESTIMONY OF JASON BRIGGS
Jason W. Briggs, one of the founders of your church, in the Temple Lot suit, said:
I heard something about a revelation on polygamy, or plural marriage, when I was in Nauvoo, in 1842. I heard there was one: there was talk going on about it at that time, and continued to be; but it was not called plural marriage; it was called sealing.
You ask me what I understood this sealing to be, at the time the talk was going on. What I understood it to be was sealing a woman to a man to be his wife, to be his wife hereafter, his wife in the spirit world.
I was asked in my direct examination if I did not hear of the doctrine of polygamy, etc., and I answered that I talked with members with reference to sealing, and I understood that the doctrine of sealing, was for eternity; it was sealing a man's wife to him for eternity, or wives, either. Record pp. 349, 431, 505.
TESTIMONY OF JAMES WHITEHEAD
James Whitehead said:
There was an ordinance in the Church for sealing, as early as 1842 or 1843.
They would be married according to the law of God, not only for time but for eternity as well.